There are approximately twenty million adults and children in the United States with Social Anxiety Disorder. Individuals with this disorder have been known to suffer from chronic and often unfounded fears, tension, and breathing irregularities along with a multitude of physical symptoms, such as fatigue, trembling, muscle tension, headaches, irritability, or hot flashes. Many of these individuals take medication for their disorder and require accommodations at their school or work. Their sudden attacks of panic and anxiety often result in forgetting to take medication, not remembering coping techniques, irrational fears, and general inability to remain on task. When left unaddressed, these disorders can progress to a level in which the affected person can become housebound or develop incapacitating compulsive behaviors.
Treatment with a professional typically involves medications. Often the sufferer has to endure limited life activities and disrupted social interactions and companionship
Proper breathing is an important element of reducing feelings of fear, depression, and anxiety. While simple in concept, proper breathing requires education and practice. Studies have shown that proper inhaling and exhaling, if exercised at proper intervals, has measurable medical benefits to include stress reduction. Proper breathing techniques can be used to further reduce indigestion and reduce the chances of panic type anxiety attacks.
Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, an internationally recognized expert on mind-body interactions and is author of many books has offered much advice on proper breathing. Dr. Weil says: “If I had to limit my advice on healthier living to just one tip, it would be simply to learn how to breathe correctly.”
An article in The Seattle Times, May 10, 2000, section C3, by Carol Krucoff, entitled: “Better living through belly breathing” stated that “Slow, deep breathing is a powerful anti-stress technique. When you bring air down into the lower portion of the lungs, where the oxygen exchange is most efficient, heart rate slows, blood pressure decreases, muscles relax, anxiety eases and the mind calms.”
Experts in the field of mind-body medicine say that few people in Western, industrialized society know how to breathe correctly. We are taught to suck in our guts and puff out our chests, which causes the muscles to tense and respiration rate to increase. As a result, we are a nation of shallow “chest breathers,” who primarily use the middle and upper portions of the lungs. Babies breathe from the belly, but with age, most people shift from this healthy abdominal breathing to shallow chest breathing.
Breathing is the only bodily function you can do either consciously or unconsciously. Studies have linked focused breathing with reducing hot flashes in menopausal women, relieving chronic pain and reducing symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome). Some hospitals have begun teaching relaxation breathing to patients treated for a wide range of conditions.
Additional and varied health benefits that can be achieved through proper breathing:
THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEMGives you more energyReduces mental and physical fatigue.Reduces chest pains due to tight muscles thus the tension causinganxiety of “heart attack potential” is reduced.Aids in relief of many long term respiratory difficulties such as asthmaand bronchitis.Reduces need for artificial stimulants and many harmful prescriptiondrugs.Opens up the chest to make breathing easier and fuller which facilitatesstrengthening of the life force, emotional stability and mental clarity tofeel more energetic, strengthen coping skills, increased positive energy andstrengthened sense of self.Helps eliminate waste matter.It also influences theCIRCULATORY SYSTEMImproves blood circulation and relieves congestion.Increases supply of oxygen and nutrients to cellsthroughout the body. Major organs such as brain, andeyes need copious oxygen.Eases the strain on the heart by increasing oxygen to theheart.THE NERVOUS SYSTEMBetter breathing can calm or stimulate the nervoussystem, balance or unbalance brain hemispheres,depending on the technique.Better breathing opens up and balances subtle energysystems affecting all the body.THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEMDiaphragmatic action acts as a pump to massage theinternal organs, aiding their *function; helps push themovement of lymph throughout the body which helpseliminate toxic wastes and strengthen the immunesystem.THE URINARY SYSTEMShallow breathing puts stress on other organs ofelimination.Better breathing can reduce edema, (swelling of thebody) by eliminating fluids through the breath.*Massaging the kidneys for instance can cleanse theblood and tonify the entire systemTHE SKINGiven a complex carbohydrate diet, toxic CO2 waste iseliminated more directly through breath.Wrinkles can be lessened due to improved circulationand blood oxygen flow.Radiant skin is observable and more pleasing to look at.BODY, MIND AND SPIRITRelax deeper.Look more rested.Feel Nurtured and Accepted.The core of the breath is the core of one's being.Become more connected with one's deepest core senseof self.OPTIMAL BREATHINGThe techniques used facilitate stretching of connectivetissue, which prevents formation of adhesions andreduces the danger of fibrosis (stringy tissues). Relaxesmuscle spasm and relieves tension. Helps increase thesupply of blood and nutrients to muscles blood andbones.It invites internal sensing of optimal posturing thatmaintains body balance which supports ease ofbreathing including CO2 elimination as well as helps toprevent muscle adhesions and fibrosity. Releases andreduces muscular tension that eventually may causestructural problems.Helps increase flexibility and strength of joints; when youbreathe easier you move easier.Can partially compensate for lack of exercise andinactivity due to habit, illness or injury.Copyright © 2000 Michael Grant White (This article has been reprinted here by permission
Various patents related to breathing have been proposed over the years. See for example, U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,987 to Pail; U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,730 to Pacunas; U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,135 to Schreiber; U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,376 to Stephens et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,194 to Hosterman et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,585 to Fresquez et al. However, none of these devices are useful as a breathing reminder for the user.
Many of these devices require complicated and expensive components, that generally must be pre-programmed, adjusted and calibrated by the user to work and are difficult to operate. Many of these devices are large, cumbersome, and uncomfortable to wear. These devices would not be easy for elderly and young persons to operate. These devices are not desirable to the user since they are visible and obvious to others and therefore can cause a negative social stigma when being used.
Still furthermore, many of these devices emit embarrassing noisy audible and/or visible alarms so there is little or no discretion for the user. Still furthermore, adjustable settings on many of these devices can be accidentally changed if the devices are dropped or misused. Still furthermore, many of these devices can be accidentally changed simply by handling the device. Thus, there settings must be constantly monitored to work. Many of these devices require more power than simple AAA size batteries and can often burn out.
Various other timer devices have been proposed over the years. See for example, The Invisible Clock® by Time Now Corporation U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 6,561,987 to Pail; U.S. Pat. No. 6,267,730 to Pacunas; U.S. Pat. No. 6,212,135 to Schreiber; U.S. Pat. No. 6,198,695 to Kirton et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,075,755 to Zarchan; U.S. Pat. No. 5,899,204 to Cochran; U.S. Pat. No. 5,861,797 to Becker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,376 to Stephens et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,194 to Hosterman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,711,585 to Fresquez et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,525 to Lloyd; U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,043 to Forbath; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,354 to Carmon et al. However, none of these devices solve all the problems to the previously listed patents and are not suitable for simply reminding the user to practice proper breathing techniques.
Finally, an anxiety disorder sufferer's inclination is to avoid devices that require adjustments, calibrations, re-setting, and complicated instructions that require start-up procedure. Many of these devices use complicated chronometer or display, and as the device that can be dependent upon correct day, date, or time. These timer devices require storage of settings when power is removed since a spent or missing battery would remove the settings.
Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.